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Sunday,
September 1, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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BJP-JSM
poll pact shaky BJP blames
NC for regional imbalances Why has Farooq opted out NC leader
Chib joins BJP BSP unit
joins PDP |
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Papers
of woman nominee rejected Shiv
Sena to contest 12 seats No
violation of poll code: CEO 2 LUTF
nominees to be elected unopposed Hurriyat
may expel Bilal APHC
meeting advanced by a day Pandits
reject Central aid Jammat
urges India, Pak to start talks 3 of
family, NC activist killed Attacks
aimed at disrupting poll: DGP Submit report on Dal Lake preservation: HC Clashing
rivals lathicharged Shot by
colleague
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BJP-JSM poll pact shaky Jammu, August 31 The general secretary of the BJP, Mr O.P. Kohli, in charge party affairs in Jammu and Kashmir, today went to Delhi to discuss the issue with the Central leadership. The BJP yesterday left light of the 37 seats of the Jammu Division for the Jammu state Morcha (JSM) which already has announced candidates for 12 seats. The JSM has announced Mr Tilak Raj Sharma and Dr Virender Gupta for the Jammu (East) and Jammu (West) seats respectively which at present are represented by Mr Ashok Khajuria and Mr Hans Raj Dogra of the BJP in the Assembly. The BJP has turned down the demand of the JSM which enjoys blessings of the RSS. There are also differences between the two organisations over the Udhampur seat which is represented by a BJP leader, Mr Shiv Charan Gupta, who reportedly has been lobbying for ticket for his son in his place. However, the JSM has staked its claim to the seat and reportedly was also demanding either the Reasi or the Arnas seat of the Udhampur district. The list of candidates cleared by the BJP yesterday does not make any mention of these disputed seats as a final decision will be taken by the party high command. The JSM has been demanding that its candidates should be allowed to contest 22 seats in Jammu. However, they are not precipitating the issue as it could have adverse effect on the elections. Mr Tilak Raj Sharma, general secretary of the JSM, warned that there was no question of surrendering any of the 12 seats for which the candidates had been announced, “we” will contest on all these seats in case the BJP did not accept “our” demand, he said. He said that the two seats of Jammu were significant for the JSM as the demand of statehood for Jammu centres round the city itself and these could not be given to the BJP which was against the demand for the trifurcation of the state. The JSM is contesting election demanding statehood for Jammu by separating it from Kashmir. He said that there was no scope for negotiations with the BJP for the seats for which the JSM has announced its candidates. It is learnt that the JSM was also demanding that the BJP should leave the Billawar, Kishtwar, Hiranagar and Ramban seats for its candidates. |
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BJP blames NC for regional imbalances Jammu, August 31 “The menace of terrorism is a big challenge to the mankind and it must be defeated. Democratic means are the biggest weapon to end it,” the senior
BJP leader said addressing party activists here yesterday. The minister said the
NC was answerable to the people of the state for the spread of militancy over the past six years. He accused Pakistan of trying to create problems in the elections in the state because democracy had been scuttled in that country. “Pakistan’s
ISI and its agents are trying to play the same tactics in Jammu and Kashmir to spread violence and gun culture,” he said. The minister blamed both the NC and the Congress for regional imbalances and said because of their “step-motherly” treatment towards Jammu and Ladakh and their “communal” approach, many problems had erupted and the unity of the state was being threatened. Terming the coming elections as “crucial”, Mr Gupta asked the electorate to vote only for candidates having a “nationalist outlook”. “Nationalists should vote in large numbers in favour of forces of nationalism and thus frustrate the designs of people hostile to India,” he said. The minister said the Vajpayee government was paying special attention to development of rural areas in the state for which 60 per cent of funds had been allotted to the state authorities. Besides, special attention was also being paid to laying of roads and setting up water supply schemes, he added.
PTI |
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Why has Farooq opted out Jammu, August 31 Why did the Chief Minister stick to his decision, announced
over three months ago, and retrace from his resolve that he would
contest the election and continue to be the Chief Minister till his
son Omar Abdullah gained sufficient experience to run the affairs in
the troubled state? Informed sources say that there are three factors
which forced Dr Abdullah to change his mind at the last moment to
facilitate the election of Mr Omar Abdullah as the next Chief
Minister, if the party is voted to power. First, Dr Abdullah had
projected his son as next Chief Minister about four months ago. At
that time, he hoped to be elected President or Vice-President of
India. when he lost the race for both seats, he wanted to install Omar
as NC President and retain his chief ministership for some more
time. Second, several senior ministerial colleagues of Dr Abdullah
had prevailed upon him to continue as Chief Minister till the poll was
over. Third, Dr Abdullah was under pressure from within the family to
allow Omar to succeed him. Even Omar is said to have told his father
that as President of the National Conference, he would have nothing
special to perform as the party affairs were being run properly by the
general secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed. Also, Dr Abdullah had become
wary of taking care of the problems of the state. He wanted to take a
respite from his busy schedule. Ultimately, it was decided to get Dr
Abdullah elected as Rajya Sabha member. To facilitate it, the party
gave its mandate to Mr Sharifuddin Shariq, a Member of the Rajya
Sabha, from the Langet constituency. As Rajya Sabha Member, he may
get a chance to be in the Union Cabinet if he desired so. Earlier he
had rejected feelers from Delhi for a Cabinet berth which indicated
that he was not willing to hang his boots in Kashmir. Party sources
say that both father and son are unhappy. The former over
circumstances that made him remain off the poll battle and the latter
over the selection of party candidates. These sources, at the same
time, say that the party could not afford to have two power seats. The
National Conference needed a young face like Omar to woo voters and
that is what Dr Abdullah has preferred. |
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NC leader Chib joins BJP Jammu, August 31 The Union Minister of state for Defence , Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, is said to have played to have played a key role in prevailing upon the BJP high command to accept Mr Chib, a former minister, to the party fold. A senior BJP leader said “It is tit for tat”. He explained that the National Conference had wooed a sitting BJP MLA to the party fold and today “We have got an influential NC leader.” There are indications that the BJP may field him from Suchetgarh constituency, and if it materialised Mr Chib could pose a serious threat to the NC candidate. Meanwhile, party sources said the BJP leadership has developed cold feet while considering Mr Prem Lal’s name for Hiranagar seat because of his serious charges against party’s two senior leaders. |
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BSP unit joins PDP Srinagar, August 31 President of BSP’s Kashmir unit Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Akhoon and state secretary Ghulam Hassan Wani announced the decision to join the PDP at a press conference. They were led by former Union Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Criticising BSP national president Kanshi Ram for working only for the upliftment of the backward classes, Mr Wani said, “there is no place for people from the upper class in the BSP. Mr Kanshi Ram does not even have a policy vis-a-vis Kashmir.” He said over 1,000 workers along with all district and block presidents of the BSP have joined the PDP. Mr Wani also alleged that BSP state president Sheikh Abdul Rehman was “acting as an instrument of the National Conference for the trifurcation of the state by demanding a Doda hill council.” He said the decision to quit the BSP was taken in view of the party decision to forge an alliance with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
PTI |
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Papers of woman nominee rejected Srinagar, August 31 An official spokesman said 23-year-old Ms Sonika Pandita’s papers were rejected because she was under age. A person who has attained the age of 25 years can contest assembly elections, he said. She was the only woman among the 216 candidates who had filed the nomination papers for 26 seats of six districts of Kupwara, Baramula, Rajouri, Poonch, Leh and Kargil, going to the polls in the first phase on September 16. Now there will be a straight fight between Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah’s younger brother Dr Mustafa Kamal and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party candidate Ghulam Hassan Mir as only three candidates had filed their papers in the constituency. Dr Kamal, who defeated Mr Mir (Independent) in 1996 election, first won the seat in 1987. The constituency has remained a National Conference stronghold since the NC started participating in the elections after the Indira-Sheikh accord in 1975. It was once represented by Congress candidate Sardar Surinder Singh who had won in 1972.
UNI |
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Shiv Sena to contest 12 seats Jammu, August 31 It slammed the Kashmir Committee for talking to the Hurriyat and terming the discussions as "uncalled for’’. Addressing mediapersons here, Shiv Sena North India incharge Maj-Gen Hoon (Retd) said its candidates for the coming poll are Ramendra Khajuria from Udhampur, Mohinder Khajuria from Kathua, Kulbhushan Mahotra from Billawar, Anil Sharma from Basohli, Anan Sharma from Jammu West, Sanjay Mahe from Jammu East, Yashpal Gupta from Nagrota, Jugal Kishore from Akhnoor, K.S. Kailash from Suchetgarh, S.S. Manhas from Bishnah, B.B. Kaul from Habbakadal and Rakesh Gupta from Ganderbal constituencies. Speaking on the occasion state Shiv Sena unit chief Kalkiji Maharaj said all parliamentarians from his party would campaign for the candidates in the state. Besides, the party would also enlist the support of some film stars for campaigning. About 3,000 activists from Punjab and 1,500 senior functionaries from Maharashtra would come here to bolster the campaign of the party, he added.
UNI |
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No violation of poll code: CEO Srinagar, August 31 “We have checked with the Election Commission (EC) about this issue,” he told reporters. The EC had received a report from the Ministry of Home Affairs which said this was only a two-and-half-year-old scheme...not a new one, he said. The EC had accepted the argument since this did not violate the model code of conduct, Mr Jain said. The Centre had on August 28 announced a financial package of more than Rs 7 lakh to each Kashmiri Pandit migrant family to help them start life afresh in the Kashmir valley. Asked about the promotion of two officers as financial commissioners after the code of conduct came into effect, he said, “We have examined this case too.” The promotions do not violate the code of conduct since no seniority was disturbed and there was also no transfer. These were administrative promotions which do not come under the code of conduct, he said. About the direction given by the EC to the state government to transfer police and revenue officials who have completed four years at their present places of posting and some employees,
Mr Jain said it was being complied with. Mr Jain said photo identity cards of one million voters had been made. However, only 6,50,000 of these had been distributed till yesterday, he added. On allegations by the Congress that the local kendra of Doordarshan and Radio Kashmir were not giving them election coverage as compared with the ruling National Conference, the CEO said the matter was taken up at the highest level with the Central Government. The Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharti, who visited the state capital recently, had given instructions to all local DD kendras and radio stations across the state to ensure equal coverage to all political parties without any discrimination. “We will see what we have pointed out is conveyed to them (DD and AIR),” he said, adding that suitable action would follow if they continued to ignore the directives.
UNI |
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2 LUTF nominees to be elected unopposed Srinagar, August 31 Earlier, Mr Sonam Wanchuke Narboo, a candidate of the front, virtually won the Nobra seat in the district as no other candidate filed papers till the expiry of the last date for filing nomination on August 29. Two Independents, Ahmadullah Azad and Tsering Dorje, announced their withdrawal from the contest in favour of Rigzin today, sources said. However, Mr Narboo and Rigzin would be declared elected only after the deadline for withdrawals expire on September 2, they added. Mr Narboo and Mr Rigzin had filed their nomination papers as Independent candidates. The National Conference had nominated Tsetan Namgyal as its candidate for the Nobra constituency but Mr Namgyal did not file his papers, leaving the field open for Mr Narboo. From Leh, the National Conference and other parties did not field any candidate. According to official figures, out of 75 seats, 43 were won unopposed by candidates of the National Conference of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad in 1957, followed by 34 unopposed in 1962, 22 in 1967 and only five in 1972. However, the phenomenon of candidates getting elected unopposed completely stopped in 1977 when, following the Indira-Sheikh accord of 1975, the National Conference and the Congress put up candidates against each other in all constituencies.
PTI, UNI |
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Hurriyat may expel Bilal Srinagar, August 31 A press note attributed to jailed PC general secretary Ghulam Mohammad Gulzar and circulated from the Hurriyat headquarters here today said, “The members of the controversial supreme council, formed unconstitutionally after the killing of Abdul Gani Lone, have been expelled from the basic membership of the party for taking part — directly or indirectly — in the assembly elections.” Two candidates, Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi and Abdul Haq Khan, filed their nominations from the Handwara and Lolab constituencies, respectively, on August 29 which caused a furore in separatist circles as the two were known to be close aides of Abdul Gani Lone. “The Lone brothers (Bilal and Sajad) have fielded dummy candidates in the poll,” Gulzar said. However, Sajad Lone, who took over the reigns of the party after his father’s assassination in May, said Khan was never a member of the party and that Sofi had resigned from it to contest the elections. He said Gulzar had been expelled from the party a month ago “for having links with a National Conference minister.” Hurriyat sources said the separatist conglomerate was likely to side with Gulzar. “Gulzar has been the general secretary of the PC since the time Abdul Gani Lone was alive and the Hurriyat will definitely accept him as the party leader,” they said. The latest move seems to be a Hurriyat attempt to test the waters before expelling Bilal from the membership of its executive council on September 2 when the amalgam meets to discuss the issue of the candidates being fielded in Kupwara
district. UNI |
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APHC meeting advanced
by a day Srinagar, August 31 The meeting was earlier scheduled for September 2. A spokesman for the 23-party amalgam said the meeting was advanced as most of the members had a busy schedule on September 2. The meeting will discuss the issue of dummy candidates purportedly fielded by one of its constituents the People’s Conference, he said.
PTI |
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Pandits reject Central aid Jammu, August 31 Panun Kashmir Movement chairman Ashwani Chrangoo said the package was ill-conceived and had come on the eve of elections which was tantamount to a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. “It is an insult to the exiled community. The package cannot offset the ill-effects of genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced exile that have resulted in the community’s trauma with its far-reaching consequences,” Mr Chrangoo said. The package reflected the government’s poor understanding of the complex problem that could not be solved by “patch-work methods” but needed a holistic approach, he said, adding that it also ignored the findings and recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and other human rights bodies. Working president of All-India Kashmiri Pandit Conference J.N. Sapru said the package was ambiguous and left a lot of questions unanswered. It would not be possible for the people to return to remote villages when their houses have been usurped or purchased under duress. General secretary of the All-State Kashmiri Pandits Conference Hiralal Chatta said the Centre should have consulted migrants before formulating such a package. It would have been in the interest of the exiled community if the Centre had offered 10,000 jobs to the youth of the community instead of giving financial aid, he said. Mr B.M. Dhar, who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the package was an election gimmick. General secretary of J and K Awami League S.K. Tikoo termed the package as ill-conceived as the present situation was not conducive for the return of Pandits to valley.
PTI |
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Jammat urges India, Pak to start talks Srinagar, August 31 “We appeal to both India and Pakistan to shun obduracy, initiate a process of talks and incorporate genuine representatives of Kashmir in it to work out a just, realistic and honourable solution to Kashmir dispute,” said a resolution adopted by advisory council of the outfit at the end of its two-day annual meeting here. Inviting attention of the world community to the situation in Kashmir, the Jamaat-e Islami said viable peace in South Asia was a far-fetched dream unless a “just and durable” solution to the dispute was worked out according to aspirations of people of the state. The outfit Jamaat said the “festering” Kashmir issue had caused loss of life and property and pushed the people of India and Pakistan into poverty and backwardness as a major portion of budgets of the two countries was being spent on defence. It demanded action against security forces found involved in acts of human rights violations.
PTI |
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3 of family, NC activist killed Srinagar, August 31 An official spokesman said militants shot dead Gulzar Ahmad Sofi, an NC activist and member of the Khadi and Village Industries Board at Gundipora Beerwah in central Kashmir district of Badgam late last night. He said the Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the security forces, in a joint operation, killed a militant at Arth Beerwa in Badgam last night. One AK rifle, four magazines and 50 rounds were seized from the slain militant. The spokesman said unidentified gunmen killed three members of a family — Jamal Din, Shaheena Begum and Shanu Begum — at Chana Neosi village in Udhampur district last night while Mohammad Amin Malik was killed outside his Raie Kashte Doda house last evening. A jawan was killed and another was injured when militants attacked a patrol party at Nayedgam Chatroo last night. They later managed to escape. The security forces also killed two militants, Tahir and Assadullah, in an encounter at Pinyal Gali last evening, he said. He said unidentified gunmen shot dead Bader Din at Fazalabad Surankote last evening. The security forces arrested an LeT militant, Bashir Ahmad Hajam at Jather Kreeri and recovered two AK rifles, two magazines, 19 rounds and one pistol last night.
UNI, PTI |
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Attacks aimed at disrupting poll: DGP Jammu, August 31 Talking to UNI here this morning, the Jammu and Kashmir DGP, Mr A.K. Suri, said the recent attacks on the security forces in the Jammu region and Kashmir valley indicated that the terrorists were hell-bent on disrupting the electoral process in the state. “What is more significant is that ever since elections in the state were announced, the ISI-sponsored terrorist outfits are resorting to sporadic attacks on the security forces and innocent civilians in a bid to authenticate their threat of disrupting the election scenario and vitiate the atmosphere by spreading terror among the masses,” Mr Suri said. He said there had been no let-up in infiltration bids by militants of various outfits and the majority of these were Pakistanis, who took sadistic pleasure in terrorising the masses. “We are fully prepared for any eventuality and we are taking the ultras head on. We are committed to end the menace of terrorism once and for all. We have enough forces with us to deal with any eventuality,’’ he stated. Mr Suri refuted the popular contention that more security personnel were needed to ensure a free-and-fair poll in the state, saying that the state police had all the required forces at its command to meet any exigency.
UNI |
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Submit report on Dal Lake preservation: HC Srinagar, August 31 A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Babulal Chandulal Patel and Mr Justice Muzaffar Jan, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mr Syed Iqbal Tahir, directed the divisional authorities to submit the details regarding the unauthorised constructions in the green belt forest area around the lake. The directions came close on the heels of the orders regarding the closure of Centaur Hotel on the banks of the lake on charges of pollution. The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mr Pervez Dewan, was directed to remove the encroachments in and around the lake. The court, however, observed that an “affidavit filed by the Divisional Commissioner in compliance of the court order seems to be half-heartedly drafted and the responsibility has been shifted to the subordinate officers.” “The deponent had stated that he had directed complete documentation of encroachments and will submit a detailed report to the court. However, nothing has been produced before the court,” the Bench observed. It was also stated in the affidavit that to remove the encroachments the assistance of a Collector was required and that the Commissioner (Revenue), Srinagar, had already reported to the Vice-Chairman of the Lake and Waterways Development Authority (LWDA) for the said purpose. The Division Bench further directed the Vice-Chairman of the LWDA to take photos and video film the places that had been
encroached and the area where the encroachments had been cleared. The Tourism Director was also asked to submit a report to indicate the number of functional and abandoned houseboats in the Dal Lake in order to assess the pollution due to houseboats there. The court also directed the pollution control board to seek assistance from experts and report whether the trees around the lake were causing any harm to it.
UNI |
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Clashing
rivals lathicharged Baramula, August 31 Official sources said trouble started when supporters of sitting National Conference MLA Mir Saifullah and Ghulam Qadir Mir (Independent) were raising slogans in favour of their respective candidates during the scrutiny of nomination papers. As the rival groups approached the point of clash, the police intervened to save the situation. When the groups did not pay heed to the police, it had to fire in the air and resort to lathi charge to disengage them. Twelve persons were reportedly injured in the police action and stampede, sources said.
UNI |
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Shot by colleague Jammu, August 31 They said Head Constable Om Prakash, a resident of Hyderabad, was killed on the spot when his colleague D.S. Nath fired upon him around 10 pm last night. Nath, who belongs to Bijapur in Karnataka, had been arrested and the weapon recovered, the sources said.
PTI |
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